Dinghy Cruising Association
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Which dinghy for cruising?

​Which cruising dinghy?

PictureBeating cutter by David Summerville


​Dinghy Cruising Association members range widely in very different boats.  Some seek quiet waters, others prefer more restless seas. Some  ​visit both.

Most of their craft meet the guidelines suggested in our   Safety Recommendations. A lot of them are clearly safe, stable vessels, perhaps traditional in appearance.

Others have been designed and built to meet specific cruising needs. Many more are well-known class dinghies with a racing pedigree: these are frequently, but not always, adapted for cruising and camping.

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​Light, slim, fast dinghies and heavy, beamy, stable ones have their particular advantages and shortcomings – and also their own enthusiastic supporters. The debate about which kind is best will rage among cruising sailors for as long as there’s a sea to sail on. No single design or type has ever been accepted by a majority as the perfect cruising boat.

​However, there may be a boat that is perfect for you. You need to consider where you will sail her and what you want to do in her. Most of all you need to consider your own level of skill and your confidence in the boat, plus an awareness of her – and your – limits. This is far more important than chasing after the impossible dream of one ideal boat for all.

Before choosing a boat, do take every opportunity to sail in as wide range of boats as possible - the DCA rallies are an excellent place to try out different boats and discuss your ideas with others. Get hold of a copy of Eric Coleman's book - Dinghies for all Waters. It is full of sound advice. There are secondhand copies around or you can borrow it from the DCA Library. Our   forum  is also a source of information and advice. 

Here are some articles from past copies of Dinghy Cruising which may be helpful when thinking about what dinghy to get. 
  • Just What is a Cruising Dinghy? By John Welsford  DC 211 pp. 38-42
  • ​​Sail Area / Displacement Ratio. A Useful Way to Compare Cruising Dinghies by Martin Corrick  DC 211  pp. 15-17
  • The Late Starter’s Guide to Buying a First Boat by Mary Dooley  DC 232  pp. 76-77
  • My Perfect Boat by Doug Heslop  DC 233  pp. 66-68​
​
​​DCA Member   Cliff Martin   has written a booklet called   Setting up the cruising dinghy to share his experience and knowledge of dinghy cruising.   Topics covered include:
  • sail areas, rigs and reefing,
  • ballast and helm balance,
  • centreboards and daggerboards,
  • seats and sheets,
  • engines, oars and anchors,
  • trailers, launching and recovery.
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Looking for inspiration? Watch Osbert's story...

Building and Sailing your own boat - Osbert Lancaster www.forthsailoar.osbert.org from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.



​For more ideas here are a selection of links to boat designers and builders:
  • Fabian Bush
  • Campion Sail and Design
  • Character Boats
  • Cornish Crabbers
  • Drascombe Boats
  • Fyne Boat Kits
  • Jordan Boats
  • Honnor Marine
  • Iain Oughtred​​
  • Seashell Boats
  • Selway Fisher Design
  • Solway Dory
  • Michael Storer
  • Swallow Boats
  • Francois Vivier  Naval Architect
  • John  Welsford  Small Craft Design
  • West Wight Potter
  • Andrew Wolstenholme
And here are links to a variety of Clubs and Class Associations:
  • Old Gaffers Association
  • Open Canoe Sailing Group
  • Devon Yawl Association
  • Drascombe Association​​​​​
  • Falmouth Bass Boat Association
  • Swallow  Boats Association
  • West Wight Potter Group
  • Tideway Owners Association​
  • UK  Wayfarer  Association​
  • UK Mirror Class Association
  • Heron Dinghy Class Association​
  • Enterprise Class Association​​
  • GP14 Class Association​
  • The Coble and Keelboat Society
Join the DCA

The friendly club with a sense of adventure. For all sailors who use boats for more than just racing.

DCA Forum

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Contact us
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  • Home
    • About
    • Origins
    • Why join us?
    • Women in the DCA
    • Contact us
  • Cruising
    • Getting started >
      • FAQs
    • Living aboard
    • Taking the family
    • Pilotage Notes >
      • The Dee Estuary
    • Boat Safety Recommendations
    • Howard Rice goes Below 40 South
  • Dinghies
    • John Welsford talks about designing boats
    • Michael Storer talks about becoming a boat designer
    • Boat reviews
    • Technical Articles
    • Roamer and Rebell
    • YM Designs
  • Rallies
    • Rallies in England >
      • South Coast
      • South East
      • South West
      • North West
      • North East
      • East Coast
      • Midlands
    • Rallies in Scotland
    • Rallies in Wales
    • Rallies in Ireland
    • Rallies in North America >
      • Northeast Chapter
      • Pacific Northwest
      • ChesapeakeSWS
    • Rallies in France
    • Rallies in the Netherlands
    • Rallies in Scandinavia
    • Rallies in the Baltic
  • Journal
    • Archive contents
    • Digital Subscribers >
      • 2025 Journals
  • Other Membership Features
    • DCA Library >
      • Good Reads
      • Book Reviews
    • DCA Shop
    • DCA Forum
    • DCA Awards >
      • Naylor Noggin
      • Peter Bick Cup
      • Hayling Challenge
    • Photo Competition
  • Join now
  • Members Section